Places to Visit in Gaborone, Botswana, Africa

Places to Visit in Gaborone, Botswana, Africa

Gaborone is the capital and largest city of Botswana situated in the southeastern part of the country. It is spread over an area of 169 sq. km holding around 10% of the total population of the country. Gaborone is located on the Notwane River between the hills of Kgale and Oodi, around 15 km away from the border of South Africa with Botswana.

The Mall is the commercial point of the city holding many major business houses of the country. Gaborone is also the site of t he Botswana Stock Exchange and the Southern African Development Community. Gaborone is geographically positioned between 24°39′29″ S latitude and 25°54′44″ E longitude.

 

History of Gaborone:

The documented history of Gaborone begins with the settlements of Kgosi Gaborone migrating from the Magaliesberg in 1880. Gaborone got its name from Gaborone’s vale which derived it name from Chief Gaborone of the BaTlokwa. Gaborone became the capital of the British owned Bechuanaland Protectorate in 1965 and even also remained as the capital of Botswana after its independence from British in 1966.

 

How to reach Gaborone?

Gaborone hosts the major airport of the country with connection to Francistown, Harare, Johannesburg, Nairobi, Luanda, Cape Town and many other prime African cities. The airport is located around 15 km away from the centre of the city.

Gaborone is connected by bus to Johannesburg in South Africa, taking around 6 hours.

Buses are the primary transportation options within Gaborone and rental cars are also accessible from the local travel agency.

 

Culture, Shopping and Food in Gaborone:

Along with many renowned museums and cultural centres, Gaborone is also noted for the University of Botswana and the Limkokwing University of Creative Technology.

Some specialty shopping options in Gaborone include:

  • Green Shop
  • Oodi Weavers
  • Thamaga pottery
  • The Bike Shop

List of the famous food corners in Gaborone include:

  • Cafe Khwest
  • Melody Cafe
  • Terrace Restaurant
  • Camel Inn

 

Things to do in Gaborone:

  • Cycling
  • Hiking
  • Watching movies

 

Places of interest in Gaborone:

 

Gaborone Dam:

Being the biggest in Botswana, the Gaborone Dam is one of the identities of Gaborone with a storage capacity of 141,400,000 cubic meters. It is situated along the road of Gaborone-Lobatse to the south of Gaborone.

 

Gaborone Game Reserve:

The Gaborone Game Reserve is situated on Limpopo Drive towards the east of the city of Gaborone, covering an area of 600-hectare. Established in 1988, the reserve is home to a wide range of animal and bird species including wildebeest, zebras, gemsbok and gallinule. Bird-watching is also a famous activity here.

 

Kgale Hill:

The Kgale Hill is a favorite sport of nature lovers and hikers, measuring an elevation of 1,287 metres. It holds a nickname of the Sleeping Giant. From the city centre, it is located few hundred meters away but reaching its top from the bottom takes around two hour.

 

National Museum and Art Gallery:

The National Museum and Art Gallery in Gaborone is open for visitors from 09:00 to 18:00 (Tuesday-Friday) and 09:00 to 17:00 (Saturday and Sunday). It is located 331 Independence Avenue and showcases the cultural diversity and history of Botswana. Entry is free.

 

Hare Krishna Temple:

The Hare Krishna Temple is a distinct religious site, situated opposite to the Baobab school of Gaborone. It is devoted to the Hind god, Sri Krishna. This impressive temple can be explored through a guided tour.

 

List of other places of interest in and around Gaborone include:

  • Thapong Visual Arts Centre
  • Otse Village
  • Gaborone Cycling Club
  • Camelot Spa
  • Alliance Française de Gaborone
  • Gaborone Stables
  • BTC hill
  • Mmopane Hill
  • Mokolodi
  • Gaborone Film Club
  • New Capital Cinema

 

Best time to visit Gaborone:

Gaborone features a hot semi-arid climate and generally beginning and ending months of the year are ideal to visit Gaborone in Botswana.

 

Accommodation options in and around Gaborone:

Being the capital of Botswana, Gaborone houses around 50 tourist favor upgraded accommodation centres including hotels, vacation rentals, BB and inns with latest facilities including evening restaurants, gyms, curio shops and business centres. Here is the list of the prime hotels in Gaborone in Botswana:

  • Lansmore Masa Square
  • Peermont Metcourt
  • Gaborone Sun Hotel
  • Falcon Crest Suites
  • Peermont Mondior Gaborone
  • Peermont Walmont
  • Tlotlo Hotel and Conference Center
  • StayWell Executive Suites
  • Gaborone Hotel & Casino
  • Inisfree Apartments
  • Cresta Lodge Gaborone
  • Cresta President Hotel
  • Gaborone Hotel & Casino
  • Kalahari Sands Guest Lodge

Tourist Places to Visit in Francistown, Botswana, Africa

Tourist Places to Visit in Francistown, Botswana, Africa

Francistown is the 2nd largest city of the African country, Botswana, situated around 430 km northeast of the largest city and the national capital, Gaborone. Lying at the meeting point of the rivers of Tati and Inchwe, Francistown is located around 90 km away from the border of Botswana and Zimbabwe.

Tachila is a newly established famous nature reserve around 5 km away from the city of Francistown and the city itself houses many renowned cultural centres including the Supa Ngwao Museum. Francistown is geographically positioned between 21°10′25″ S latitude and 27°30′45″ E longitude, around 1,000 meters above sea level.

 

History of Francistown:

According to the archaeological history, Francistown was first inhabited around 10,000 years ago. The modern Francistown was founded in the year 1897 in the vicinity of the mine Monarch Mine. Francistown got its name from the English prospector, Daniel Francis.

 

Conenctivity to Francistown:

Francistown houses a modern airport with flight services from Gaborone and Johannesburg, served by Air Botswana. The airport is located around 2 km away from the city centre.

Francistown is connected by bus to all the major cites of Botswana including the national capital, Gaborone from which it takes around 5-7 hours.

The railway connection of Francistown is only limited to Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, not to any domestic destinations.

 

Culture, Shopping and Food in Francistown:

Supa Ngwao Museum is the focal point of the Francistown’s culture, housing a wide collection of artifacts and artworks displaying the local culture, history and tradition.

Francistown houses both modern and traditional shops all around the city and the two famous supermarkets in the city are Pick & Pay and Shoprite.

Some tourist favor restaurants in Francistown are listed below:

  • Thorn Tree
  • Spurs
  • Merilicious
  • Barbara’s Bistro

 

Things to do in Francistown:

  • Shopping
  • Visiting nature reserve
  • City tours
  • Walking

 

Tourist places in Francistown:

 

Supa Ngwao Museum:

The Supa Ngwao Museum describes the history of the city of Francistown and Botswana with a great collection of artifacts and other well preserved objects. The museum also showcases the culture of the Kalanga people and is located on the New Maun Road.

Tachila Nature Reserve:

Covering around 8200 hectares of land, the Tachila Nature Reserve is located few kilometers away from the heart of the city. Other than natural habitat, one can also enjoy game drives at the park.

 

Domboshaba ruins:

The Domboshaba ruins are situated near the town of Musunga, around 50km away from Francistown. These are associated to the Bakalanga tribe of Botswana. There is a lode with restaurant near the ruins. Entry is free.

 

Cathedral of Our Lady of the Desert:

The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Desert is one of the religious identities of Francistown frequented by devotees throughout the year. Its distinct construction is famous among visitors.

 

Jamea Masjid:

The Jamea Masjid is a mosque deserved for the Muslim population in the city. It is at Town Center Residencies, few hundred meters away from the heart of the city.

 

List of the other attractive places in Francistown include:

  • Francistown Stadium
  • Francistown Bus terminal
  • Francistown Airport
  • Gojwane
  • Robelela
  • Mathangwane
  • Semitwe
  • Tswapong Hills
  • Mokolodi Nature Reserve
  • Central Kalahari Game Reserve
  • Botswana National Museum
  • Lion Park Resort
  • Chobe National Park
  • Mokolodi Nature Reserve
  • Gaborone Dam

 

Ideal time to visit Francistown:

The best time to visit Francistown is from September to February.

 

Where to stay in Francistown?

Francistown is a city with many specialties receiving a large group of tourists year round and in order to serve them, the city houses more than 15 modernized accommodation centres with upgraded facilities and services. The prominent hotels in Francistown are as follows:

  • Cresta Thapama Hotel
  • Cresta Marang And Residency
  • Adansonia Hotel
  • The White Palace
  • Grand Lodge
  • Tshimologo Farm Guest House
  • Peermont Metcourt Francistown
  • Road View Lodge
  • Tati River Lodge
  • Dumela Lodge
  • Woodlands Stop Over
  • Diggers Inn
  • The Enclave

Beautiful Tourist Places in Botswana, South Africa, Africa

Beautiful Tourist Places in Botswana, South Africa, Africa

Botswana is an African country located in the southern part of the continent, between the countries of South Africa towards the south and southeast, Namibia towards the west and north and Zimbabwe towards the east and northeast. With a population of around two million people living in the area of 581,730 sq. km, Botswana is the world’s one of the most sparsely populated nations.

Gaborone is the capital and largest city of Botswana and the Government of Botswana follows the unitary parliamentary republic system. Botswana is one of the member countries of the African Union. The geographical coordinates of Botswana are 24°39.5′ S 25°54.5′ E.

 

History of Botswana:

Botswana was earlier called Bechuanaland Protectorate during the British rule the country and following becoming an independent country on 30 September 1966, Botswana adopted its present name. At that time, Botswana had a status of one of the poorest countries of Africa and since then, Botswana has been developing to become one of the wealthiest countries of Africa.

 

How to reach Botswana?

The most important airport of Botswana, the Sir Seretse Khama International Airport, is located in the city of Gaborone, around 15 km away from the city centre. The airport handles flights from Cape Town, Francistown, Harare, Johannesburg, Nairobi, Luanda and other important African cities.

Gaborone in Botswana can be accessed by bus from Johannesburg in South Africa which takes around 6 hours.

To get around the cities of Batswana, buses are widely used and in addition to buses, taxis and rental cars are also gettable.

 

Culture, Shopping and Food in Botswana:

English is the official language of Botswana and a widely communicated language in the country is Setswana.

Pula is the currency used in Botswana. Traditional handicrafts and locally made clothes are famous among visitors in Botswana. The hospitality industry of Botswana is concentrated in the capital city, Gaborone.

 

Tourist places in Botswana:

 

Chobe National Park:

Situated in the northern part of the country, the Chobe National Park is divided into four areas Savuti Marsh area, Serondela area, Hinterland area and Linyanti Marsh. Established in 1967, the park is spread over a total area of 11,700 sq. km.

 

Botswana National Museum:

The Botswana National Museum is situated in the capital city, Gaborone. It features the National Art Gallery, Octagon Gallery and the National Botanical Garden. It is a place where visitors can get everything about Botswana in including its history and culture.

 

Central Kalahari Game Reserve:

Being the world’s 2nd largest game reserve with an area of 2,800 km², the Central Kalahari Game Reserve is one of the identities of Botswana. It was established in the year 1961 and is located the Kalahari Desert of the country.

 

Mokolodi Nature Reserve:

The Mokolodi Nature Reserve is located 10 km away from the capital city, Gaborone. It is a nonprofit private game reserve, home to a wide range of African animal and bird species including cheetah, mountain reedbuck and giraffe.

 

Tswapong Hills:

The Tswapong Hills is situated in the Central District of Botswana measuring an elevation between 300 and 400 meters. This mountain range houses rare species of animals like Jameson’s red rock hare, brown hyena, kudu and Rock Hyrax.

 

List of other attractive places in Botswana include:

  • Three Chiefs’ Statues
  • Mokolodi Nature Reserve
  • Botswanacraft
  • Gaborone Sun
  • Gaborone Dam
  • Lion Park Resort
  • Marang Casino
  • Mogonye Gorge
  • ISKCON Gaborone

 

Ideal time to visit Botswana:

The best time to visit Botswana depends on tourists’ interest and the most popular time to visit Botswana is from June to August.

 

Where to stay in Botswana?

Botswana houses all sorts of upgraded hotels including budget options to serve all types of travelers coming to the country throughout the year from the different regions of the world. Below is the list of some nice hotels in the capital city, Gaborone in Botswana:

  • Peermont Mondior Gaborone
  • Peermont Walmont at The Grand Palm
  • Lansmore Masa Square
  • Peermont Metcourt
  • Gaborone Sun Hotel
  • Cresta Lodge Gaborone
  • Cresta President Hotel
  • Gaborone Hotel & Casino
  • Inisfree Apartments
  • Gaborone Hotel
  • Gaborone Hotel & Casino
  • Kalahari Sands Guest Lodge
  • Falcon Crest Suites
  • Tlotlo Hotel and Conference Center
  • StayWell Executive Suites

Best Tourist Places to Visit in Ouahigouya, Prominent, Burkina Faso, Nord Region, Africa

Best Tourist Places to Visit in Ouahigouya, Prominent, Burkina Faso, Nord Region, Africa

Ouahigouya is the prominent town in the north part of Burkina Faso in Nord Region in Yatenga Province and the town is situated at elevation of 315 meters (1,033 feet) above the sea level. Ouahigouya is the 3rd largest city in the country and one of the oldest inhabited towns and surrounded by mountain region. Ouahigouya is hub for craft industries, agriculture, cash crops, commerce and small manufacturing industries. Ouahigouya is bounded by Douma, Kombori, Kiembara, Gourcy, Tougo Dept, Rollo Dept and Yako and situated approximately 180 kilometers from Ouagadougou, capital of Burkina Faso. Ouahigouya coordinates are 13.5833° N, 2.4167° W.

Ideal Time to Visit Ouahigouya:

Climate of Ouahigouya is like rest of Burkina Faso and it is classified under hot semi arid steppe climate with average temperature varies from 17° Celsius to 40° Celsius throughout the year and ideal time to visit Ouahigouya is from November to May.

History of Ouahigouya:

Ouahigouya was established by Mossi Kingdom as the capital of Yatenga in 1757 but the region was demolished by French colonial government in 1825 and was attacked frequently from 1870s to the 1890s. French established the fort in 1896 and the city was bombed by Malian forces during the Christmas War in 1985, during which hundreds of people killed.

Must visit locations in Ouahigouya:

Naaba Kango’s Tomb:

Naaba Kango’s Tomb is one of the prime attractions in the city situated at the distance of 3 kilometers from heart of the city and is a popular tomb of Naaba Kango and visited by numerous tourists and devotees from all over the country.

Yatenga Naba’s Lake:

Yatenga Naba’s Lake is placed at the distance of 4 kilometers from heart of the city and the lake is an artificial lake surrounded by lush greenery and visited by locals and tourists alike and one can see bird species and other animals in and around the lake.

Things to do in Ouahigouya:

  • Hiking
  • Trekking
  • Shopping
  • Futbol Stadium

How to reach Ouahigouya?

By Air:

Ouahigouya is served by Ouahigouya Airport situated 3 kilometers from center of the town is a small domestic airport that handles season flights to cities in Burkina Faso.

By Road:

Ouahigouya is one of the prominent cities in Burkina Faso and highways like N 2, N 10, N 15 and R 22 bisects the town from various parts of the country and bus, van, shared taxi, motorcycle and moped is the main public transportation in the town.

Accommodation in Ouahigouya:

Ouahigouya is one of the prominent cities situated in the northern part of the country and the town has some of the best accommodation in the regions that are equipped with all the modern amenities and facilities and warm hospitality and along the luxurious hotels one can also find cottages, guestrooms, guesthouses and home stay facilities in the town and all these accommodation will cost from $ 10 to $ 150 and above per day list of hotels in Ouahigouya:

  • Hotel Liberté
  • Hotel Coulibri
  • Hotel Dunia
  • Hotel Auberge
  • Hotel de l’Amitie
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